A bacterium was isolated from sludge-contaminated soil in a petroleum refinery and tested for its ability to degrade aliphatic hydrocarbon compounds present in petroleum sludge. The isolate was grown on minimal salt media agar supplemented with 1% (w/v) petroleum sludge. The isolate was tentatively identified as Methylobacterium s p. s t rain ZASH based on the partial 16s rDNA molecular phylogeny. The bacterium grew optimally between the temperatures of 30°C and 35°C, pH 7 and 7.5, 0.5% and 1.5% (v/v) Tween 80 as the surfactant, and between 1% and 2% (w/v) peptone as the nitrogen source. The constants derived from the Haldane equation were μmax = 0.039 hr-1, Ks = 0.385% (w/v) total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) or 3,850 mg/L TPH, and Ki =1.12% (w/v) TPH or 11,200 mg/L. The maximum biodegradation rate exhibited by this strain was 19 mg/L/hr at an initial TPH concentration of 10,000 mg/L. Gas chromatography analysis revealed that after 15 days the strain was able to degrade all aliphatic n-alkanes investigated with different efficiencies. Shorter n-alkanes were generally degraded more rapidly than longer n-alkanes with 90% removal for C-12 compared to only 30% removal for C-36. The addition of sawdust did not improve bacterial degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons, but it assisted in the removal of remaining undegraded hydrocarbons through adsorption.
This study evaluated the histopathological changes in the gill, liver and kidney of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) intoxicated with a sub-lethal dose of Melaleuca cajuputi leaves extract (MCLE) for 96 h. The acute toxicity test has been determined previously with a value of 96-h LC50 = 127 mg/L, hence the selection of sub-lethal ranges from 60 mg/L to 160 mg/L of MCLE. Degenerative alterations were prominent in all tested organs, particularly after exposure to a high concentration of MCLE. Gill exhibited haemorrhage, epithelial lifting, lamellar disorganisation, and necrosis after exposure to a high MCLE concentration. Alterations in the liver include congestion, hydropic degeneration, and vacuolation, whereas lesions in the kidney were pyknosis, vacuolation, hydropic degeneration, and tubular necrosis. The obtained data showed that the organs experienced severe changes proportional to the increase in MCLE concentration. In addition, fish exposed to higher concentrations than the LC50 value experienced irreversible lesions. The present study suggests that the use of MCLE below the LC50 is recommended to avoid severe alterations to organs, particularly in African catfish. This study demonstrated that the use of MCLE above the LC50 promotes severe damage to the gills, liver and kidney of African catfish. However, further investigations are needed to define the causing-mechanisms underlying these effects.
Sponge-associated bacteria are considered a rich source of bioactive compounds particularly to reduce the risk of Vibrio harveyi and Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection. The present study aimed to analyse the effectiveness of 19 isolates to control Vibrio infection in vivo. All 19 isolates displayed a non-pathogenic characteristic on shrimps (cell density of 106 cells/mL) as analysed using the pathogenicity test. The mortality caused by both Vibrio spp. on 50% of the shrimp population (LC50 value) had a cell density of 105 cells/mL as determined using the proportion interval method. On the basis of the challenge test, all isolates improved the survival rate of infected shrimps in diverse effectivities up to 89%, which was nearly 30% higher than the infected control. Two isolates coded as D6.9, and P5.20 reduced shrimp mortality after infection with Vibrio spp. 16S rRNA-based identification showed these isolates were closely similar to different genera of Bacillus and Staphylococcus. The extract derived from the most prospective isolate, D6.9, was dominated by 1-hydroxy-6-(3-isopropenyl-cycloprop-1-enyl)-6-methyl-heptan-2-one, hexadecanoic acid, 4-epicyclomusalenone [(24S)-24-methyl-28-norcycloart-25-en-3-one], and 2,4-dimethyl acetoacetanilide. This observation suggested these isolates characterised by in vivo anti-Vibrio activity need to be further developed as biocontrol candidates.
Associated gas flaring has several consequences on the environment. This study was aimed at assessing the impact of gas flaring on soil enzymes and plant antioxidant activities from gas flare-bearing communities in Nigeria. Soil and plant samples were obtained from farmlands in Ukwa West and Izombe gas flaring sites, as well as unpolluted site from Olokoro (used as control). The level of activities of soil urease, dehydrogenase, phosphatases, plant antioxidant enzymes and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) of selected plants (Gnetum africanum [GA], Piper guineense [PG], Gongronema latifolium [GL], Pterocarpus mildbraedii [PM]) were evaluated using standard methods. The results showed that the activities of urease were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in soil from Ukwa site than Izombe and the control soil. Dehydrogenase (DHA) and phosphatases recorded higher activities (P < 0.05) for Izombe soil than in Ukwa compared with the control. For plants, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) recorded a significant (P < 0.05) higher activities in all the plants assayed from Ukwa site than Izombe and the control site. The activities of GPx from GA and PG plants at Izombe site were not significant (P > 0.05) when compared with the control, except for PM and GL which recorded a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in GPX and SOD activities, respectively. The activities of catalase enzyme also decreased significantly (P < 0.05) in all plants grown at Ukwa, while an increase was seen for GA and PM grown at Izombe compared with control. The overall variability in enzymes activities is an indication that soil ecosystem and plants are altered significantly by the stress load from the gas flaring pollutants which could serve as bio-indicators for assessing ecological risks and bioremediation.
Malaria continues to be a major public health issue in a number of countries, particularly in tropical regions-the emergence of drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum encourages new drug discovery research. The key to Plasmodium falciparum survival is energy production up to 100 times greater than other parasites, primarily via the PfLDH. This study targets PfLDH with natural bioactive compounds from the Zingiberaceae family through molecular docking and molecular dynamic studies. Sulcanal, quercetin, shogosulfonic acid C, galanal A and naringenin are the Top 5 compounds with a lower binding energy value than chloroquine, which was used as a control in this study. By binding to NADH and substrate binding site residues, the majority of them are expected to inhibit pyruvate conversion to lactate and NAD+ regeneration. When compared to sulcanal and control drugs, the molecular dynamics (MD) simulation study indicated that quercetin may be the most stable molecule when interacting with PfLDH.
The Asian tapir is a primitive mammal whose habitat is heavily fragmented due to human activities. Studies on the Asian tapirs in Sumatra are very few, thereby basic information for developing tapir conservation programmes is limited. This study aimed to develop the species distribution model to map the potential distribution of tapirs in Batang Gadis National Park (BGNP), investigate the characteristic of tapir habitat, and identify tapir feed plants around BGNP. The model was developed using the Maximum Entropy (Maxent) approach, based on the existing information on tapir occurrence in BGNP and environmental variables. Vegetation characteristics in different land cover (primary forests, secondary forests, and open fields) were investigated using the strip transect method. This study found that zonal classification, temperature and precipitation have the greatest percentage contribution to the model. The model estimated that around 24.45% of BGNP areas are suitable for tapir habitat, and tapirs distribute near community gardens. Our results also showed that plant diversity at study sites was categorised as moderate-high. About 23 plant species dominated by the Moraceae family were identified as feed plants for tapirs. In developing tapir conservation programmes, BGNP management needs to consider tapir distribution that is closed to community gardens. We propose BGNP to enrich feed plants in open fields of the wilderness and traditional zones; reduce the canopy cover in the wilderness and utilisation zones to stimulate the growth of feed plants; facilitate local people to live harmoniously with tapirs; involve local communities in tapir conservation programmes; encourage local communities to plant non-palatable crops for tapirs; and provide a compensation scheme.
It is well established that oil palm is one of the most efficient and productive oil crops. However, oil palm agriculture is also one of the threats to tropical biodiversity. This study aims to investigate how set-aside areas in an oil palm plantation affect bird biodiversity. The research area includes two set-asides areas: peat swamp forest and riparian reserves and two oil palm sites adjacent to reserved forest sites. A total of 3,074 birds comprising 100 species from 34 families were observed in an oil palm plantation landscape on peatland located in the northern part of Borneo, Sarawak, Malaysia. Results showed that efforts by set-asides forest areas in large scale of oil palm dominated landscapes supported distinct bird species richness. High percentage of the canopies and shrub covers had a positive effect on bird species richness at area between oil palm and peat swamp forest. Herbaceous cover with height less than 1 m influenced the abundance of birds in the plantation closed to the peat swamp forest. The set-aside areas in oil palm plantations are essential in supporting bird's refuges and should be part of oil palm landscape management to improve biodiversity conservation. Thus, provided the forest set-aside areas are large enough and risks to biodiversity and habitat are successfully managed, oil palm can play an important role in biodiversity conservation.
Increased consumption of xylose-glucose and yeast tolerance to lignocellulosic hydrolysate are the keys to the success of second-generation bioethanol production. Candida tropicalis KBKTI 10.5.1 is a new isolated strain that has the ability to ferment xylose. In contrast to Saccharomyces cerevisiae DBY1 which only can produce ethanol from glucose fermentation. The research objective is the application of the genome shuffling method to increase the performance of ethanol production using lignocellulosic hydrolysate. Mutants were selected on xylose and glucose substrates separately and using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. The ethanol production using lignocellulosic hydrolysate by parents and mutants was evaluated using a batch fermentation system. Concentrations of ethanol, residual sugars, and by-products such as glycerol, lactate and acetate were measured using HPLC machine equipped with Hiplex H for carbohydrate column and a refraction index detector (RID). Ethanol produced by Fcs1 and Fcs4 mutants on acid hydrolysate increased by 26.58% and 24.17% from parent DBY1, by 14.94% and 21.84% from parent KBKTI 10.5.1. In contrast to the increase in ethanol production on alkaline hydrolysate, Fcs1 and Fcs4 mutants only experienced an increase in ethanol production by 1.35% from the parent KBKTI 10.5.1. Ethanol productivity by Fcs1 and Fcs4 mutants on acid hydrolysate reached 0.042 g/L/h and 0.044 g/L/h. The recombination of the genomes of different yeast species resulted in novel yeast strains that improved resistance performance and ethanol production on lignocellulosic hydrolysates.
The study focuses on the preparation and characterisation (physicochemical and mechanical) of hydroxyapatite [Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2] (HA) from sea urchin, Echinometra mathaei. Therefore, nano-sized HA prepared from sea urchin shells were collected from beaches of the Persian Gulf in Iran. Sea urchin shells were found a source of calcium carbonate in the form of aragonite (calcite) that crystallised in an organic matrix. HA is one of the polymers used in coating the nanoparticles extracted from various sources. The calcined aragonite converted to nanosized hydroxyapatite powder by chemical reaction with orthophosphoric acid while maintaining stoichiometry, Ca/P = 1.667 at 80°C. To determine the purity of the nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA) numerous analytical procedures were used. Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the presence of the peak of 961 cm-1 is related to the symmetric tensile band of the P-O bond, and the peak of 1038 cm-1 and 1091 cm-1 is related to the tensile solid absorption of the PO4 as functional groups of nHA. The nanocrystalline HA can be observed from the SEM images. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA-DTA) demonstrates the thermal stability of nHA powder. The results show successful isolation and characterisation study of this crucial nano-material shows it is valuable in biomedical applications, particularly in bone tissue engineering. Indeed, its fabrication is easy and economical.
Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have numerous applications in plant biotechnology. The unique biological activities of AgNPs in reducing microbial contamination and promoting in vitro plant growth have encouraged their use in the development of novel culture systems for the in vitro cultivation of several plant species. In this study, the influence of (80 nm-100 nm) AgNPs on the micropropagation of banana was examined by incorporating AgNPs into shoot multiplication and rooting media at concentrations of 3 mg/L-15 mg/L. Biometric parameters for shoot multiplication (number of shoots/explant, shoot length and leaf surface area) and root development (number of roots/explant and root length) were analysed. In addition, shoot chlorophyll content, proline content and the possible impact of lipid peroxidation on membrane stability of plantlets were estimated. The results showed that all concentrations of AgNPs stimulated shoot growth and enhanced root development. The highest response was observed in media supplemented with 12 mg/L AgNPs. This optimal level of AgNPs caused a threefold increase in shoot growth parameter and a similar increase in root numbers/shoot and root length. Treatment with AgNPs at 12 mg/L also increased chlorophyll and proline content of shoots by 25% and 120% over control, respectively. Although the application of AgNPs increased the level of lipid peroxidation in shoots, it however, had a limited influence on membrane stability index. These results suggested that the administration of AgNPs to culture media can be effectively utilised for the enhancement of banana micropropagation with minimal toxic effects.
Oxidative stress and inflammation have been proven to be implicated in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. Recent studies showed that Ethulia conyzoides had in-vitro antioxidant activity. This study investigated the in-vivo antidiabetic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory potential of the residual aqueous fraction of Ethulia conyzoides in type 2 diabetic-induced male Wistar rats. Sub-acute antidiabetic studies were done with varying doses (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg body weight) of residual aqueous fraction for 21 days. Blood glucose levels, serum insulin, and in vivo antioxidant and pro-inflammatory cytokines-tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) -were measured at the end of the treatment. When rats were given different concentrations of residual aqueous fraction, there was a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in blood glucose, malondialdehyde (MDA), IL-1β, and TNF-α levels, as well as a significant (p < 0.05) increase in SOD (superoxide dismutase), catalase and insulin levels when compared to the diabetic control group. Furthermore, the 400 mg/kg body weight dosage concentration was found to be the most effective. This result suggests that the residual aqueous fraction of Ethulia conyzoides possesses significant antidiabetic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.
In order to determine the safety level of water parameters and nutrients in the natural environment of fish and freshwater prawn in Nyatuh River, Terengganu, Malaysia, it is necessary to conduct an assessment of water quality parameters. Due to its important, a study was conducted to assess the water quality parameter and nutrients contents from Nyatuh River of Setiu Terengganu in relations to the population of freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii caught along the Nyatuh River basin. Total of four expeditions and five stations at different tidal condition for the water quality parameter were assessed during the study. From the results achieved, the overall temperature varied between (26.56°C-29.30°C), dissolved oxygen, DO (3.59 mg/L-6.50 mg/L), pH (4.99-7.01), salinity (0.01ppt-4.22ppt), depth (2.71 m-5.54 m) while for ammonia (0.01 mg/L-0.24 mg/L), nitrite (0.01 mg/L-0.05 mg/L) and phosphate (0.01 mg/L-0.12 mg/L). While the number of prawns caught are 176, 160, 102 and 68 for Expeditions 1, 2, 4 and 3, respectively. Possibly, the heterogeneous number of prawns caught is a result of significant differences in water level depth during high tides and low tides, as well as a fluctuation in the ammonia concentration levels in each of the stations and expeditions. For statistical analysis, the temperature showed no significant difference between the expedition, stations and tidal. That is p = 0.280, p > 0.05 and F = 1.206, respectively. While dissolved oxygen, DO, showed no significant difference as well, that is p = 0.714, p > 0.05 and F = 0.737. However, the level of water depth was significantly different between expedition, station and tidal, that is p = 0.000, p < 0.05 and F = 3.120. Ammonia, on the other hand shows no significant difference between expedition, station and tidal, that is p = 0.476, p > 0.05 and F = 0.973. The same goes for nitrite and phosphate concentration. There was no significant difference between expedition, stations and tidal, that is p = 0.569, p > 0.05 and F = 0.879 and p = 0.247, p > 0.05, F = 1.255, respectively. In Expedition 1, the good water quality parameter and very low ammonia concentration resulted in a larger prawn population as compared to other expeditions. The distribution or mixture of prawns caught is heterogeneous at different stations due to the significant differences in water depth and also to the fluctuation in water quality due to varying ammonia levels. In conclusion, the water quality in Nyatuh River fluctuated across expeditions, stations, and tides, as well as significant differences in water level depths between high and low tides. Due to the rapid growth and importance of industrial and aquaculture operations along the river, extra attention should be devoted to avoid the impact of excessive pollutant in order to protect the ecosystem.
Freeze-process has been applied in preserving many fresh horticultural commodities addressed to the medium-distancing distribution. In this study, effect of freezing process and storage time on durian's attributes degradation was observed. 100 durian fruits were treated with two-level combinations of freezing process. The first level involves the freezing of the said fruit at -15°C for two different freezing times, that is 10 min (treatment A) and 20 min (treatment B). Followed by frozen-storage for -10°C for 0, 10, 20 and 30 days. At different interval time, the frozen samples were thawed at 4°C for 24h. Then, physical, chemical, and sensory parameters were periodically assessed. The result showed that treatment B provide a significantly better output than treatment A. This is proven through a lower weight loss, brighter and lighter yellow of the pulp, softer pulp, lower value of moisture content on the pulp, and a remained stable of succinate acid's profile. Furthermore, based on the preference evaluation test, the fruits were accepted by respondents.
Deforestation in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia has increased significantly in the past few years to accommodate the growing population of Cameron Highlands. This led to a rapid urbanisation in Cameron Highlands which increased anthropogenic activities, causing degradation of the natural environment. Such environmental changes highlight the necessity of wildlife and resource inventories of available forested areas to improve existing conservation and management plans, especially for threatened taxa such as the non-volant small mammals. However, very few studies are known to focus on the effect of deforestation on non-volant small mammals, especially in the adjacent forest. This survey aimed to document non-volant small mammals from four habitat types (restoration areas, boundary, disturbed and undisturbed areas) of Terla A and Bertam, and undisturbed forest of Bukit Bujang Forest Reserve, Cameron Highlands, Malaysia. Samplings were conducted in two phases between August 2020 to January 2021. A total of 80 live traps were deployed along the transect lines in all three study sites, and 10 camera traps were set randomly in each forested area. Results demonstrated that species diversity (H') is higher at Terla A Forest Reserve compared to Bertam and Bukit Bujang Forest Reserve. In contrast, species diversity in the boundary area (S = 8, H' = 2.025) and disturbed forest area (S = 8, H' = 1.992) had similar number of species (S) compared to others study habitat; restoration area had the lowest species diversity (S = 3, H' = 0.950). Berylmys bowersi was the most captured species from trappings and Lariscus insignis was the most frequently recorded species from camera trappings for all study sites. The results of the survey provided new information on non-volant small mammals in Cameron Highlands for future research, conservation, and management.
Lactuca sativa L. is an economically important vegetable that contains numerous phytochemicals. This study aimed to determine the phytochemicals in three lettuce cultivars (red oak, red coral, and butterhead) and assess their total phenolics, total flavonoids and antioxidant activities. The dried leaves of each lettuce cultivar were macerated with hexane, ethyl acetate (EtOAc), and 95% ethanol (EtOH). Total phenolics, total flavonoids, and antioxidant activities from the three solvent extracts were measured. The phytochemical screening showed that the leaves from the three lettuce cultivars contained flavonoids, hydrolyzable tannins, coumarins, steroids, and phenolic compounds. While the EtOAc fraction of the red coral lettuce showed the highest total phenolic content (9.747 ± 0.021 mg gallic acid equivalent/g) and the hexane fraction of the butterhead lettuce contained the highest flavonoids (7.065 ± 0.005 mg quercetin equivalent/g). In the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate) assay, the EtOAc fraction of the red coral lettuce had the highest antioxidant capacity with an IC50 of 0.277 ± 0.006 mg/mL, whereas, in the ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) assay, the 95% EtOH of the red coral lettuce had the highest antioxidant capacity with an IC50 of 0.300 ± 0.002 mg/mL. All three lettuce cultivars contained high levels of phenolic content and flavonoids, which are the source of antioxidant activities. These lettuce cultivars, especially the red coral lettuce, are a potential source of natural antioxidants. Further research on the application of natural antioxidants is required to investigate the therapeutic or the neutraceutical implication of the lettuce cultivars.
The objective of this study was to investigate the mixed culture of Bacillus subtilis, B. licheniformis and B. megaterium to control acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) or EMS (Early Mortality Syndrome) in white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei as a model. The infected shrimps with Vibrio parahaemolyticus AHPND strain were divided into tanks and different feeding of either B. subtilis, B. licheniformis, B. megaterium or all Bacillus strains. The infected shrimps that were fed with a mixed culture of Bacillus showed significantly highest survival rate and revealed lower percent detection of V. parahaemolyticus AHPND strain by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) (57.14%) with a small amount of viability count in their hepatopancreas. In contrast, the infected shrimps that were fed with each of B. subtilis, B. licheniformis or B. megaterium, revealed the spread of V. parahaemolyticus AHPND strain in all tissue by PCR detection (86.67%-100%) with a large amount of viability count (3.53 - 4.24 × 103 CFU/g). This study indicated that the mixed culture of Bacillus subtilis, B. licheniformis and B. megaterium could control the dissemination of V. parahaemolyticus in shrimps, especially in hepatopancreatic that is the target tissue of AHPND in white shrimp (L. vannamei). The result of this study revealed the efficiency and mechanism of the mixed culture of B. subtilis, B. licheniformis and B. megaterium to control the virulence of AHPND and support the application of this mixed culture in aquaculture of shrimp farms to avoid chemical and antibiotic treatment by using it as a biological control.
Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) is one of the most physiologically active auxins produced by rhizobacteria and is potentially applied for agriculture. Two endophytic bacteria, VR2 and MG9, isolated from the root of Chrysopogon zizanioides (L.) collected at Cha-Am, and the leaf of Bruguiera cylindrica (L.) Blume collected from a mangrove forest at Ban Laem, Phetchaburi Province, Thailand, were taxonomic characterised based on their phenotypic characteristics and 16S rRNA gene analysis. Strain VR2 was closely related to Enterobacter hormaechei CIP 103441T (99.6% similarity), while strain MG9 was closely related to Bacillus aryabhattai B8W22T (99.9% similarity). Consequently, they were identified as Enterobacter hormaechei and Bacillus aryabhattai, respectively. The IAA production of VR2 and MG9 strains are determined and applied to rice seeds for their root and shoot germination. Strains VR2 and MG9 greatly produced a yield of IAA, 246.00 and 195.55 μg/mL in 1,000 μg/mL of L-tryptophan at pH 6 for 48 h. They showed no significant differences in IAA to root and shoot development. However, the bacterial IAA exhibited potential nearby synthetic IAA, which had a significant effect compared to the control. IAA produced from these two strains might preferably trim down the use of synthetic IAA and could contribute to sustainable agriculture.
Amyema are epiphytic hemiparasitic plants on different types of woody host plants and are abundant in temperate, subtropical, and tropical regions. In Marilog Forest Reserve, Southern Philippines, two Philippine endemic species of Amyema were recorded, viz., Amyema curranii (Merr.) Danser and A. seriata (Merr.) Barlow. In this study, these two species were compared and examined for their morphology and anatomy. Data revealed that the two Amyema species are morphologically distinct, with A. curranii having lanceolate leaves, pink flowers, and red fruits, whereas A. seriata has obovate leaves, red flowers, and yellow fruits. For the morpho-anatomy, A. curranii has a single-layered epidermis, paracytic stomata, collateral open vascular bundles, the Eustele type of stele with pith at the center, and the inferior free central type with a hairy ovary wall. Meanwhile, A. seriata has a pinkish, single-layered epidermis, paracytic stomata, collateral open vascular bundles, a eustele type of stele with the presence of pith at the center, and an inferior free central ovary type. As a result, employing these species' gross morphology and anatomy could scrutinise future evaluations and taxonomic placements.
Sabah contributes 4.2 million hectares to the total Heart of Borneo (HoB) areas. Some of the forest reserves in the HoB are newly gazetted as Totally Protected Forest. Hence, their mammal diversity has to be comprehensively documented. This study aims to record the presence of terrestrial mammal species, and assess the prevalence of poaching in selected forest reserves within the Sabah HoB area. A total of 15 forest reserves were surveyed within a 5-year timeframe which recorded 60 terrestrial mammal species, including 21 Bornean endemics. The variation in total enumerated mammal species in the study sites may be derived from unequal sampling efforts, geographical factors and anthropogenic influences. The intensity of poaching within the study sites is high. Though this study is a rapid assessment, it created baseline information for mammal diversity in some of the least studied forest reserves in Sabah, important for conservation of its terrestrial mammals.
Previous studies had reported antihyperglycemic activity in vitro, in vivo and in silico of red betel (Piper crocatum) extract, which was associated with its polyphenolic, tannins, alkaloids, and flavonoids compounds. This study aimed to determine blood glucose level, Langerhans pancreas, lipid profile and bodyweight of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats after administrating red betel combination extract. Red betel combination extract is composed of red betel extract that was combined with ginger and cinnamon extracts. 16 male rats (Sprague Dawley) were divided randomly into two controls groups (Normal and diabetic groups; orally administered with 2 mL of aquadest for 14 days) and two extract groups (diabetic groups; orally administered with red betel combination extract 9 mL/kg BW and 13.5 mL/kg BW). Results showed that the administration of red betel combination extract for 14 days (9 mL/kg BW dosage) decreased the rat's blood glucose level up to 55.42%, which was significantly different (p < 0.05) compared to the rat's blood glucose levels on day 3. While the combination extract (dosages 9 mL/kg BW and 13.5 mL/kg BW) increased the numbers of rat Langerhans islets up to 10.9%-30.6%. The level of rat's blood high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and triglyceride levels in the diabetic control group were significantly different (p < 0.05) compared to that of the diabetic with red betel combination extract and normal groups. The treatment orally with red betel combination extract (various dosages) for 14 days suppressed the weight loss of rats by 10%-11%.